Club Day: Mohun Bagan - All Time Best XI

We present Mohun Bagan's all time best XI as a part of our Club Day programme...

3-5-2

Shivaji Banerjee – GK – The man is considered by some to be
the best ever Indian goalkeeper, and he was a Bagan great, remembered by many
for famously denying Pele a certain goal in MB’s match against Cosmos in 1977.
He was also well known for his ability to save many a spot kick.

Gostho Pal – CB – The Padma Sri awardee is a legend of the
game in the truest sense of the term. He was a Bagan lad through and through,
and played for the club for 23 years between 1912 and 1935. Rechristened as the
“Great Wall of China”, for the way he
protected his goal in the center of defence, the center half is also remembered
for the famous lie-down protest in 1935, the aftermath of which saw him quit
football forever.

Sailen Manna – CB – He is till date the only Indian
footballer to be named among the ten best captains in the world. That was in
1953, by the England Football Association. He also captained the country to the
Asian Games gold medal in 1951. The defender possessed natural leadership
skills, which saw him lead the mariners for six years during his 18-year stay
at the club.
Interestingly, he never took any money playing for Bagan,
and was happy with the salary he received from his employers, the Geological
Survey of India.

Subroto Bhattacharya – CB – It’s astounding to even think
that a man has won 78 major trophies with a single club. That man is Subroto
Bhattacharya, the man who stood tall in the heart of the Bagan defence, and
later took over as manager to increase his trophy tally to a staggering 78 as
player and manager.

Prasun Banerjee – CDM – The younger brother of the legendary
P K Banerjee, Prasun was a distinguished footballer in his own right, playing
the anchor man role to perfection, and was rewarded with an Arjuna Award as
well.
Prasanta Banerjee – CM – The former East
Bengal man was a technically gifted footballer, bisecting
defenders perfectly with sublime left footed passes for forwards to feed on,
and his six years at Mohun Bagan were probably the most successful years of his
career.
Manash Bhattacharya – CM – The midfielder was an integral
part of the “Triple Crown” Mohun Bagan side in the 1970’s, creating many a goal
from central midfield, in consistently committed displays.
Bidesh Bose – RM – Another player for Bagan in the seventies,
Bidesh Bose is considered to be one of the best footballers produced by India, and
arguably the best winger. His knack of scoring goals despite his position on
the wing helped both Bagan and India
immensely throughout his career.
Babu mani – LM – Babu Mani, a Tamilian, was another one of
the orthodox wingers who played for Bagan, often scoring goals himself through
his electric pace and his famed left foot. He makes an easy entry into this
side because of his scoring and creative abilities.
Jose Ramirez Baretto – LF – Regarded as the best foreigner
to have played in the National league, the Brazilian is in his second stint
with Mohun Bagan, with a spell at Penang FC and Mahindra United in the middle.
He’s versatile enough to play in midfield or as a forward with equal measure,
and his goalscoring record speaks for itself. He’s currently Bagan’s record
scorer in the National League.
Chuni Goswami – RF – Arguably India’s greatest ever
footballer, Subimal, or “Chuni” Goswami was a forward with immaculate ball
control and dribbling skills. As well as scoring goals, he was equally good at
creating them, with fellow forwards reaping the benefits, just like Baretto
would in this team.